Throwback Thursday with Steve Spurrier: ‘We’re better than Kentucky’

South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier turned 70 years old this year. “The Head Ball Coach” is among the best college football coaches of all time, with a 226-85-2 record heading into the 2015 season, and a national title in 1996.

In addition, he may stand alone as the greatest quote machine in the sport. To honor the Head Ball Coach as his illustrious career winds down, the AJC will present a “Throwback Thursday” every week during football season in honor of his quotes, which – in addition to his coaching career – are also Hall of Fame material.

This week, South Carolina takes on Kentucky. In 1996, the Spurrier-led Gators beat Kentucky 65-0.

The quote

“These sort of games don’t prove very much. All it proves is that we’re better than Kentucky.”

The context of the quote

Florida was ranked No. 1 at the time. Danny Wuerffel was the Gators’ quarterback and would go on to win the Heisman that year.

The reaction to the quote

At the time, it was just another game on the schedule for Florida and a game nobody expected the Gators to lose. There wasn’t much reaction from the quote, nor was there anyone disputing Spurrier’s obvious claim.

The pushback from the quote

Kentucky would go on to lose its next three games – including against No. 13 Alabama and No. 17 LSU. However, the Wildcats’ highlight of the season came after the LSU game, when they beat Georgia 24-17.

The end result of the quote

The Gators would go on to win Spurrier’s only national title as head coach, with Florida tromping Florida State 52-20 in a rematch from the regular season, which the Seminoles won.